Stephen Colbert: I scared Jon Huntsman out of race

Stephen Colbert is taking full credit for Jon Huntsman dropping out of the 2012 race, declaring on “The Colbert Report” that his announcement last week to form an exploratory committee for president has “completely changed the complexion of this race.”

“It has gone from linen to eggshell. And today, it just got a little off-whiter,” Colbert told his excited audience on Monday night, showing off a clip of Huntsman’s speech from earlier in the day announcing he was quitting.

‘Folks, do you see what’s happened here? The mere possibility that I might run for president blew Jon Huntsman all the way back to the Lands’ End catalog he came from!’ said Colbert. ‘Again, that’s just from me exploring the idea of running. Can you imagine what it would do to the field if I, Stephen T. Colbert, looked into the camera right now and officially announced?’

He added, ‘By the way, that snapping sound you heard just now is the sphincters of the other candidates snapping shut. You have to listen closely for Romney’s because it starts out about 90 percent clenched.’